Vehicle passenger protection system

ABSTRACT

A vehicle occupant protection system comprises an airbag ( 20 ) which in the folded state is accommodated in a backrest ( 14 ) of a vehicle seat ( 12 ) and in the deployed state extends between two seats ( 12, 52 ) of the vehicle. The airbag ( 20 ) includes a thorax zone ( 36 ) for laterally covering the thorax of a vehicle occupant ( 40 ) and a head zone ( 38 ) for laterally covering the head ( 42 ) of the vehicle occupant ( 40 ). The head zone ( 38 ) extends against the longitudinal vehicle direction (R) up to behind a headrest ( 18 ) of the vehicle seat ( 12 ) and completely covers the headrest ( 18 ) on the side.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application corresponds to PCT/EP2013/001224, filed Apr. 23, 2013,which claims the benefit of German Application No. 10 2012 008 391.2,filed Apr. 26, 2012, the subject matter of which are incorporated hereinby reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a vehicle occupant protection system comprisingan airbag.

Considerations have been made to arrange an airbag between two vehicleseats so as to prevent collision of the vehicle occupants in the case ofa side crash. Such vehicle occupant protection system is described, forexample, in DE 10 2009 014 103 A1. The catching distance for suchvehicle occupant protection system is short and the airbag must have arelatively large surface so as to offer appropriate protection invarious crash situations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the invention to provide a vehicle occupantprotection system which reliably protects the occupants on neighboringvehicle seats especially with an offset seating position.

In accordance with the invention, this is achieved in a vehicle occupantprotection system by an airbag which in the folded state is accommodatedin a backrest of a vehicle seat and in the deployed state extendsbetween two seats of the vehicle. The airbag has a thorax zone forlaterally covering the thorax of a vehicle occupant and a head zone forlaterally covering the head of the vehicle occupant. The head zoneextends against the longitudinal vehicle direction to behind a headrestof the vehicle seat and completely covers the headrest on the side.Especially during crash of a vehicle occupant seated backwards offset ona neighboring vehicle seat this shape of the airbag ensures that the twovehicle occupants do not collide and that the vehicle occupant seated ona neighboring seat is safely caught by the airbag. At the same time,also appropriate protection is ensured for the vehicle occupant seatedon the vehicle seat in which the airbag is accommodated.

The airbag is especially is especially configured to catch the vehicleoccupant on a neighboring vehicle seat. For this purpose, the airbagdeploys just as known side airbags out of the backrest of the vehicleseat, but it is arranged on the side facing a neighboring vehicle seatin the backrest and not in the seat side facing the vehicle wall ordoor.

The airbag extends substantially in a plane between the vehicle seatsand approximately in parallel to a vehicle side wall. The backrest doesnot include the headrest which is considered to be a separate partconnected to the upper end of the backrest in this case.

The head zone of the airbag extends in the longitudinal vehicledirection preferably to in front of the head of the vehicle occupant,wherein the large head zone offers excellent protection especially forthe heads of the vehicle occupants, when the seats are arranged offsetforward or backward against each other.

The head zone of the airbag has an upper end which preferably extendsbeyond an upper end of the headrest so that also in this case over theentire headrest a safe restraining effect is ensured for a vehicleoccupant seated on a neighboring vehicle seat.

Therefore also the head zone is preferably configured to be so largethat the headrest and the head of the vehicle occupant seated on thevehicle seat are completely covered.

The thorax zone of the airbag can be selected to exhibit a definitelynarrower than the head zone, especially the width of the head zone canbe approximately by ⅓ larger than to twice as large as the width of thethorax zone. The width is measured in the longitudinal extension of theairbag in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. This configurationpermits keeping the filling volume of the airbag relatively small, whichcontributes to rapid deployment and inexpensive manufacture. It isnevertheless guaranteed that the airbag offers excellent head protectionfor the two vehicle occupants seated next to each other.

This configuration results in the fact that in the deployed state theairbag may have an L shape, wherein the L is upside down in the inflatedand vehicle-mounted state.

The airbag may consist of two substantially identical cut portions whichare interconnected along a peripheral fastening. The cut portions canalso be integrally connected on one side or the entire airbag can bemanufactured by interweaving. This manufacture is known from classicalside airbags and renders the airbag suited for inexpensive manufacture.

In order to reduce the movements of the airbag during deployment and tostabilize the airbag per se in its position at the vehicle seat, a firstfastening portion which is provided directly on an inflator supplyingfilling gas for the airbag can be provided on the airbag and a secondfastening portion which is arranged between the first fastening portionand an upper end of the backrest can be provided on the airbag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Hereinafter the invention shall be described in detail by way of twoembodiments with respect to the enclosed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a vehicle occupant protectionsystem according to the invention in accordance with a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a vehicle occupant protectionsystem according to the invention in accordance with a secondembodiment;

FIG. 3 shows a further schematic view of a vehicle occupant protectionsystem according to the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic top view onto a vehicle occupant protectionsystem according to the invention in the case of a purely lateral poleimpact with the seating positions being on the same level;

FIG. 5 shows a schematic top view onto a vehicle occupant protectionsystem according to the invention in the case of purely lateral poleimpact with the seating positions being offset;

FIG. 6 shows a schematic top view onto a vehicle occupant protectionsystem according to the invention in the case of an inclined pole impactwith the seating positions being on the same level; and

FIG. 7 shows a schematic top view onto a vehicle occupant restraintsystem according to the invention in the case of an inclined pole impactwith the seating positions being offset.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle occupant protection system 10 comprising avehicle seat 12 having a seat cushion and a backrest 14 extendingupwards. At an upper end 16 of the backrest 14 a separate headrest 18 isarranged.

An airbag 20 having the shape of a large inverted L in the deployed andinflated state is fastened to the backrest 14 and, before beingactivated, is accommodated in the backrest 14 in a known manner (notshown).

The airbag 20 includes two fastening portions 22, 24 at which it isconnected to the backrest 14.

The first fastening portion 22 is arranged directly at an inflator 26supplying the filling gas for the airbag 20. For example, it consists ofone or two apertures in the airbag 20 through which fastening bolts ofthe inflator 26 (not shown) are passed. The fastening bolts of theinflator 26 are fastened to a frame 28 of the backrest 14 in a knownmanner.

The second fastening portion 24 is formed by an eyelet at a peripheralfastening 30 of the airbag 20 in this case.

The peripheral fastening 30 can be formed, for example, by stitching orinterweaving two cut portions 32, 34 constituting the airbag 20(indicated in FIG. 4).

The airbag 20 is (theoretically) divided into a thorax zone 36 and ahead zone 38 directly connected thereto (cf. FIG. 3). The thorax zone 36has a width B_(T) in the longitudinal vehicle direction R (cf. FIG. 4)and approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal extension L of theairbag 20 along the backrest 14 which amounts to approximately half to ⅔of the width B_(K) of the head zone 38. The head zone 38 thus has adefinitely larger width B_(K) than the thorax zone 36 of the airbag 20.

The width B_(T) of the thorax zone 36 is selected to be so large,however, that the entire thorax of the vehicle occupant 40 seated on thevehicle seat 12 is covered. The width B_(K) of the head zone 38 isselected to be so large and the head zone 38 of the airbag 20 isarranged so that both the head 42 of the vehicle occupant 40 and theheadrest 18 are completely covered on the side. In this way acharacteristic inverted L shape is imparted to the airbag 20.

The second fastening portion 24 is arranged at the thorax zone 36 of theairbag 20. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 the second fasteningportion 24 is fastened directly to the frame 28 of the backrest 14, forexample by a screw projecting through the eyelet of the fasteningportion 24.

The second fastening portion 24 is located somewhat beneath the upperend 16 of the backrest 14, for example 10 to 30 cm deeper. The secondfastening portion 24 thus is arranged somewhat beneath the shoulder ofthe vehicle occupant 40, as is evident from FIGS. 1 to 3, wherein thevehicle occupant 40 shown here represents a 95% male dummy.

In the illustrated example, the second fastening portion 24 is locatedapproximately in the middle between the upper end 16 of the backrest 14and the first fastening portion 22 level with the inflator 26 and thussomewhat spaced apart from the (theoretical) limit between the head zone38 and the thorax zone 36 (cf. FIG. 3).

The head zone 38 of the airbag 20 extends against the longitudinalvehicle direction R laterally to behind the headrest 18 of the vehicleseat 12. An upper end 41 of the airbag 20 extends beyond an upper end ofthe headrest 18.

In the longitudinal vehicle direction R the head zone 38 of the airbagextends up to in front of the head 42 of the vehicle occupant 40 on thevehicle seat 12 to which the airbag 20 is fastened (in this case thedriver seat).

The head zone 38 is so large that the head 44 of the vehicle occupant 40seated on the vehicle seat 12 is completely covered, just as theheadrest 18 of the vehicle seat 12, by the head zone 38 viewed from theside.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 the second fastening portion 24is not directly fastened to the frame 28 of the backrest 14 but to afastening component 44 separate from the frame 28. The separatefastening component 44 in this case is an elongate fastening sheetextending from the second fastening portion 24 to the lower end of theinflator 26.

The first fastening portion 22, too, is connected to the fasteningcomponent 44.

For instance, the fastening component 44 includes apertures (not shown)through which the fastening bolts of the inflator 26 are protruding andby which the fastening component 44 is fastened to the frame 28 of thebackrest 14.

A second fastening point of the fastening component 44 is preferablypredefined by the fixing of the second fastening portion 24 to the frame28 of the backrest 14.

The airbag 20, the inflator 26 and the fastening component 44 mayconstitute a pre-mounted subassembly which is screwed together formounting the airbag system on the frame 28.

The airbag 20 is arranged on the side of the vehicle seat 12 facing awayfrom a side wall 46 or door of the vehicle.

In FIGS. 4 to 7 the situation for an airbag 20 on a vehicle seat isshown, wherein the airbag 20 has deployed between the vehicle seat 12and a passenger seat 52.

In the case of a side impact (shown here by the situation during a poletest) onto an obstacle 50 located next to the vehicle side wall 46adjacent to the driver seat 12, the airbag 20 is intended to absorb amovement of the passenger 48 seated on the passenger seat 52.

FIG. 4 illustrates a situation in which the vehicle is orientated in thelongitudinal vehicle direction R and performs a movement directedperpendicularly to the direction R with respect to the obstacle 50(arrow B). Perpendicularly to the direction R, the driver seat 12 andthe passenger seat 52 are arranged at the same level.

In the case of impact onto the obstacle 50, due to the inertia forcesthe passenger 48 will perform a movement toward the airbag 20 which hasdeployed and inflated between the passenger seat 52 and the driver seat12 (indicated by the arrow P).

Based on the geometry of the airbag 20, in this case the passenger 48strikes the thorax zone 36 and the head zone 38 of the airbag 20 byhis/her thorax and head.

FIG. 5 illustrates a crash situation in which the vehicle moves equallyperpendicularly to the longitudinal vehicle direction R toward theobstacle 50. In this case, however, the passenger seat 52 is set backsomewhat vis-à-vis the driver seat 12 relative to a plane perpendicularto the direction R.

In this case, too, the passenger 48 is protected by the airbag 20. Thehead of the passenger 48 is absorbed by the head zone 38 of the airbag20, especially in the portion which completely covers the headrest 18 ofthe driver seat 12 laterally and in the height.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a crash situation in the case of an inclinedlateral crash in which the longitudinal vehicle direction B of thevehicle relative to the obstacle 50 is inclined relative to thedirection of movement R of the vehicle in the longitudinal vehicledirection.

In the situation shown in FIG. 6 the driver seat 12 and the passengerseat 52 are arranged at the same level related to a plane perpendicularto the direction R.

Also in this case the passenger 48 is caught by the airbag 20 at thedriver seat 12. As is illustrated by the arrow P, in each case thepassenger 48 impacts on the head zone 38 of the airbag 20.

In the crash situation illustrated in FIG. 7 the passenger seat 52 andthe driver seat 12 are offset against each other related to a planeperpendicular to the longitudinal vehicle direction R, wherein thepassenger seat 52 is displaced somewhat backwards again.

In this case, too, the passenger 48 is safely caught by the airbag 20,wherein he/she strikes primarily the thorax zone 36 as well as theentire head zone 38 of the airbag 20, as is illustrated by the arrow P.

As is shown by way of the different crash situations, it is sufficientto arrange only one single airbag 20 between the vehicle seats 12, 52 soas to be able to safely protect both the driver 40 and the passenger 48.

In the case of crash on the passenger side, the airbag 20 inverselyserves as protection for the driver. It is also possible, as a matter ofcourse, to mount the airbag 20 on the passenger seat 52 or to provide afurther airbag on the passenger seat 52.

Apart from the illustrated airbag 20, in the vehicle further knownairbags can be arranged in the area of the side walls 46, in thesteering wheel and/or an instrument panel, as a matter of course.

1-9. (canceled)
 10. A vehicle occupant protection system for a vehiclehaving at least two seats, the vehicle occupant protection systemcomprising an airbag (20) which in the folded state is accommodated in abackrest (14) of a vehicle seat (12) and in the deployed state extendsbetween the first and a second vehicle seat (12, 52) of the vehicle,wherein the airbag (20) has a thorax zone (36) for laterally coveringthe thorax of a vehicle occupant (40) and a head zone (38) for laterallycovering the head (42) of a vehicle occupant (40), and in the inflatedstate of the airbag the head zone (38) extends against the longitudinalvehicle direction (R) up to behind a headrest (18) of the first vehicleseat (12) and completely covers the headrest (18) on the side.
 11. Thevehicle occupant protection system according to claim 10, wherein in theinflated state of the airbag the head zone (38) of the airbag (20)extends in the longitudinal vehicle direction (R) up to in front of thehead (42) of the vehicle occupant (40).
 12. The vehicle occupantprotection system according to claim 10, wherein in the inflated stateof the airbag the head zone (38) of the airbag (20) has an upper end(41) extending beyond an upper end of the headrest (18).
 13. The vehicleoccupant protection system according to claim 10, wherein in theinflated state of the airbag the head zone (38) is so large that theheadrest (18) and the head (42) of a vehicle occupant (40) arecompletely covered.
 14. The vehicle occupant protection system accordingto claim 10, wherein in the inflated state of the airbag the width(B_(K)) of the head zone (38) is approximately twice as large as thewidth (B_(T)) of the thorax zone (36) measured in the longitudinaldirection of the vehicle.
 15. The vehicle occupant protection systemaccording to claim 10, wherein the airbag (20) is L-shaped in thedeployed state.
 16. The vehicle occupant protection system according toclaim 10, wherein the airbag (20) consists of two substantiallyidentical cut portions (32, 34) which are interconnected along aperipheral fastening (30).
 17. The vehicle occupant protection systemaccording to claim 10, wherein the airbag (20) is configured to catchthe vehicle occupant (48) seated on the second vehicle seat (52). 18.The vehicle occupant protection system according to claim 10, wherein afirst fastening portion (22) which is provided directly on an inflator(26) supplying filling gas for the airbag (20) is provided on the airbag(20) and a second fastening portion (24) which is arranged between thefirst fastening portion (22) and an upper end (16) of the backrest (14)is provided on the airbag (20).